


Why moody teenagers are the worst

by AnnieVH



Series: SwanFire High School AU [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Fights, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-05-07
Packaged: 2018-06-07 00:40:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6777736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnieVH/pseuds/AnnieVH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gold and Neal talk about what he did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Why moody teenagers are the worst

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: Maddiebonanafana

Baelfire had gone from repented to angry in a heartbeat. He probably didn't appreciate being dragged out of Miss Nolan's house by the arm – and right in front of her parents, too. Though, as far as Gold was concerned, he should be glad he wasn't being dragged away by the ear. After they'd reached their front door, Bae shrugged off his father's grip and got into his car himself, slamming the door in the process and leaving Mr. Gold to deal with David and Mary Margaret Nolan.

Apologies were exchanged.

“I'm sorry my son caused such a fuss.”

“I'm sorry I attacked your son with the sprinklers.”

And that was it. He supposed both David and himself were glad one was not willing to sue the other for whatever petty reason they could think of, just out of spite. Besides, he was the one who'd have to deal with an angry teenager, so that was punishment enough.

Right now, he'd much rather have a law suit on his hands than the cold shoulder Baelfire was giving him.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Gold asked, after five minutes of driving in silence.

Baelfire turned slowly to glare at him, then looked away.

“Fine,” his father said, frustrated. “How about we start with when did you steal that?”

He pointed at the boombox that his son was currently clutching to his chest.

“I didn't steal it!” Neal protested, immediately. “I borrowed it!”

“Did you ask me if you could borrow it?”

“I was going to give it back-”

“But did you ask me if you could borrow it?”

Bae grunted, but didn't answer.

“Then it's called stealing, Baelfire.”

“Neal.”

Gold rolled his eyes. _God give me strength_.

“It's called stealing, _Baelfire_. And you should know better.”

“I didn't ask because I knew you were going to ask me why I wanted it, and then you'd have said no.”

“If I knew you wanted it to make a fool out of yourself, of course I'd have said no.”

“It wasn't that bad, dad!”

“You're soaked, that boombox is completely ruined, and- where the hell are your shoes?”

Neal looked down at his socks, just as wet as the rest of him.

“On Emma's heater.”

“For goodness' sake.”

“If you hadn't dragged me out of Emma's house like a crazy person, I'd have had time to get them. Thanks for that, by the way. She must be thinking I'm an idiot.”

“She was probably thinking you were an idiot long before I got there.”

Bae seemed hurt by that, but didn't say another word.

Gold tried to get himself together. He'd already had, what, three fights with Baelfire that month? He was not planning on breaking their record tonight.

As calmly as he could, he asked, “Who is that girl, anyway?”

“A girl from school.”

“Is she your girlfriend?”

“That's none of your business.”

“Don't give me that attitude, Baelfire-”

“ _Neal!”_ his son shouted. “ _Why is that so hard?_ ”

“Because that's not your name!” his father shouted back. “Why do you have to fight me on _everything_?”

“Because you're overreacting, _again_.”

Gold hit the breaks so hard the Cadillac died in the middle of the road. Bae said, “Ouch!” when the seat belt snapped him back, and he seemed ready to start screaming again, but he shut his mouth when his father looked at him with angry eyes.

“Now, you listen here, young man,” he said, collected, but threatening, a voice Baelfire knew better than to interrupt. “I just got a call _from the Sheriff_ telling me he was with my son. The son who told me he'd be doing homework in his bedroom after dinner. Do you have _any_ idea how scared I was? I thought you were arrested! No! I thought you were hurt! But as it turns out, you were just waking up the entire block by making a fool out of yourself to impress a girl, _with something that you stole from my shop_.”

To his credit, Baelfire looked like he kind of, more or less could see his point. Had this been three years ago, he might have said he was sorry – their relationship was far from perfect, but at least talking was not as challenging as it had become. Now, Bae had grown to be as stubborn as his father, and he was feeling too humiliated to cut his old man a break, so he just looked away.

Gold felt his blood boiling. Baelfire had gotten really good at getting under his skin. He wanted an apology – he _deserved_ an apology, after the whole ordeal. But it seemed like he wasn't going to get one.

On nights like this, he could only count to ten and hope that would be enough to keep his temper under control. Though right now, shouting like a crazy person and telling Baelfire he'd never leave his bedroom again seemed very appealing.

“You're impossible sometimes,” Gold said, under his breath.

“Can't you just ground me and get this over with?” Bae said.

“Oh trust me, you _are_ grounded. You'll be lucky if I let out of your bedroom to go to college.”

Bae shrugged. _Whatever._

Gold started the car again. They didn't speak to each other the rest of the way.

 


End file.
